Fundamental Limits to Extinction by Metallic Nanoparticles

O. D. Miller, C. W. Hsu, M. T. H. Reid, W. Qiu, B. G. DeLacy, J. D. Joannopoulos, M. Soljačić, and S. G. Johnson
Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 123903 – Published 26 March 2014
PDFHTMLExport Citation

Abstract

We show that there are shape-independent upper bounds to the extinction cross section per unit volume of dilute, randomly arranged nanoparticles, given only material permittivity. Underlying the limits are restrictive sum rules that constrain the distribution of quasistatic eigenvalues. Surprisingly, optimally designed spheroids, with only a single quasistatic degree of freedom, reach the upper bounds for four permittivity values. Away from these permittivities, we demonstrate computationally optimized structures that surpass spheroids and approach the fundamental limits.

  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Figure
  • Received 6 November 2013

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.112.123903

© 2014 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

O. D. Miller1,*, C. W. Hsu2,3, M. T. H. Reid1, W. Qiu2, B. G. DeLacy4, J. D. Joannopoulos2, M. Soljačić2, and S. G. Johnson1

  • 1Department of Mathematics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
  • 2Department of Physics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA
  • 3Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
  • 4U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center, Research and Technology Directorate, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, USA

  • *Corresponding author. odmiller@math.mit.edu

Article Text (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

Supplemental Material (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand

References (Subscription Required)

Click to Expand
Issue

Vol. 112, Iss. 12 — 28 March 2014

Reuse & Permissions
Access Options
Author publication services for translation and copyediting assistance advertisement

Authorization Required


×
×

Images

×

Sign up to receive regular email alerts from Physical Review Letters

Log In

Cancel
×

Search


Article Lookup

Paste a citation or DOI

Enter a citation
×